Controlling valve



y 1945. F. K. SAUNDERS 2,376,388

CONTROLLING VALVE Original Filed March 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I F.3. 36 39 1:9

May 22, 1945.

P. K. SAUNDERS 2,376,388

CONTROLLING VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2

Original Filed March 16, 1942 Patented May 22, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE which is 225,436, August a division of application Serial No. 17,1938, now Patent No.

2,290,251, dated July 21, 1942. Divided and this application July 30,1943, Serial No. 496,758. In Great Britain August 20, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to iluid control valves for controlling the flowthrough the valve of liquids, gases, sludges and the like, of the typein which a closure member is moved transversely cross the bore of thevalve. This application is a division of application Serial No. 434,939,filed March 16, 1942, said last mentioned application being a divisionof application Serial No. 225,436, flied August 1'7, 1938, now Patent2,290,251, issued July 21, 1942.

A principal object of the invention is to provide such a valve having astraight through bore without the usual pocket or recess with which theclosure member cooperates as in the standard form of gatevalve. Such arecess collects solid matter when the valve is controlling a sludge andthus eventually interferes with the proper functioning of the valve.Furthermore, when such a valve is controlling milk, beer or similarliquids, a small quantity of liquid is trapped in the recess and mayputrefy.

A further object is to provide such a valve with a closure member ofrubber or other resilient material and to construct the valve in such away that the surface of the closure member is not rubbed on or draggedacross the surface of the bore but only moved normally to it while incontact with the bore.

A still further object is to provide an inexpensive, compact, robust andreliable valve from which satisfactory results will be obtained whencontrolling any kind of fluid.

With these and other objects in view the pres ent invention consistsprimarily of a valve body having a substantially straight through borewith Usually the plug is cylindrical and of greater 7 diameter than thatof the bore and is slidably mounted within a cylindrical chamber mountedtransversely on the valve body so as to communicate with the borethrough the port. The chamber may be either integral with the valve bodyor a separate member.

The resilient plug is usually made of hard rubher having a hardnesscomparable with that of a soft wood such as deal, but in some cases maybe composite and reinforced.

Actuation of the valve may be effected man ally by screw mechanismmounted in a domed cover or bonnet fitted to the top of the chamberaccommodating the plug.

These and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1is an elevation half in section of a valve in accordance with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is another elevation half in section at right angles to that inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa section on the 'line III-III of Fig. 1 v

with the plug in the valve closing position.

In the valve shown, an elliptical plug 39 is arranged with its majoraxis perpendicular to the axis of the bore. The valve body 35 and atransverse chamber 36 communicating with the bore 31' of the bodythrough a port 38 are cast in one piece. The chamber 36 has anelliptical cross section corresponding to that of the plug. The contourof the chamber 36 is continued into the bore 31 of the valve body 35,that is to say, there are pockets I3 in the sides of the bore 31 whosecontour corresponds with that of the parts about the extremities of themajor axis of the elliptical chamber 36. The ends of the bore 31 of thevalve body communicate with this latter part of the bore opposite thechamber through rectangular openings 14, the walls of the bore 31 beingmerged gradually from a circular contour at the ends to theserectangular openings '14. To give an indication of the relativedimensions of the valve body, in a 10" valve, for example, theelliptical plug may have a major axis of length 12 /2" and a minor axisof length 6%"; the valve body may have a length of 12 overall and therectangular openings in its bore mentioned above may be 10" high by 7%"wide. Thus the bore provides full flow area throughout its length.

The resilient plug 39 is preferably composite and reinforced and may bebuilt up as follows. A central metal tube 40 with a closed lower end 50which accommodates a non-rising actuating spindle 4| forms the basis ofreinforcement. Integral with this tube or mounted on it at its top is anelliptical cap 42 of somewhat smaller dimensions than the plug 39itself. Surrounding the tube are a series of soft rubber ellipticallozenges 43 interspersed with elliptical metal discs 44, both rubberlozenges and discs being of similar size to the cap and free to sliderelatively to the tube. The plug is completed by an outside envelope 45of relatively hard rubber having an inan elliptical plate 41 attached tothe cap ll. as,

. for example, by screws 0, thus clamping the lip 40 of the envelopearound its periphery. The outer envelope 4! is in contact with the sidesof the soft rubber lozenges and with the lower face of the bottomlozenge, but there is substantial clearance 40 between it and the bottomBil of the tube I. In this way when compressed axially the plug llexpands laterally, uniformly throughout its length. despite thereinforcement, since the soft rubber lozenges I and the envelope I! arefree to move relatively to the reinforcing tube The clamping plate 41has an aperture in register with the main reinforcing tube and formswith the cap 42 a square recess II which accommodates 'a nut 52 withwhich the actuating spindle ll co-operates. The nut 52 is therebyprevented from rotating relatively to the plug and from axial movementrelatively to it.

The top of the chamber 30 is enclosed by a bonnet II of ellipticalcontour bolted around by its periphery to a flange It surrounding thechamber. The spindle ll which has the usual handwheel keyed to itspasses through a conventional stufling box in the centre 01' the bonnetB3. The spindle I has a collar 56 bearing against the inside surface ofthe bonnet 53. A bridge 51 supported at each end of the top of thechamber ll at opposite ends of the minor axis of its ellipticalperiphery, has a central aperture 58, through which the spindle llpasses and upon the sides ofwhich the collar 50 rests, thus preventingaxial movement of the spindle 4i relatively to the bonnet I8.

Conveniently the tube ll forming the main reinforcement of the plug I!is filled witha lubricant before assembly, so that each time the valveis opened the actuating spindle 4| is lubricated, and then when closedagain transmits the lubricant to its co-operating nut 62-.

A valve such as has been described is consida,s7e,see I turned lip," atits top end which is secured by erably lighter than a correspondingvalve with a cylindrical plug and moreover, such a valve may be madewith the body of overall length comparable to that of standard forms ofsluice valve.

It should be understood that the method of reinforclng' the plug Justdescribed whereby the body of the plug and radial reinforcement is freeto move axially relatively to the axial reinforcement is equallyapplicable to any of the valves, but particularly large size valves, inaccordan with the invention.

What I claim is: 1. In a valve, a closure member comprising a cap with acentral aperture. a cylindrical lubricant retaining tube mounted on saidcap with its open end registering with said aperture, a plurality ofsimilar resilient lozenges interleaved with similar rigid plates allwith central apertures and mounted on said tube, a resilient envelopeenclosing said lozenges and plates but providing a space opposite theclosed endof said tube, and a plate mounted on said cap thereby clampingtllie edge of said envelope between it and said p ate.

2. In a valve, a closure member comprising an elliptical cap with acentral aperture, a cylindrical lubricant retaining tube mounted on saidcap perpendicular thereto with its open end regv istering with saidaperture, a plurality of similar elliptical resilient lozengesinterleaved with elliptical rigid plates all with central apertures andmounted on said tube, a resilient envelope enclosing said lozenges andhaving a depression opposite the closed end of said tube, and a platemounted on said cap and thereby clamping the elliptical circumferentialedge 01' said envelope between it and said cap.

3. In a, valve, a closure member comprising a plurality of rigid platesinterleaved with resilient a plates, and a resilient envelope completelyenclosing said plates on all sides of the closure member which may comeinto contact with the fluid.

PHILIP KEITH SAUNDERS.

